G.  Dallas 


Fossil 
John  Day 


Mollusks  from  the 
Basin  in  Oregon 


THESOUTHWE. 

MUSEUM  HiLL 

AVENUE  4f.  /  NVVA 

LO!: 


UNIVERSITY     OF    OREGON     PUBLICATION 

VOL.  I  AUGUST,  1920  NO.  6 


FOSSIL  MOLLUSKS  FROM  THE 

JOHN  DAY  BASIN  IN 

OREGON 


CONTAINED   IN    THE   CONDON    MUSEUM   OF   THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  OREGON 


BY 

G.  DALLAS  HANNA 


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UNIVERSITY  PRESS 
1920 


UNIVERSITY  OF  OREGON  PUBLICATIONS 
Vol.  I  August,   1920  No.   0  - 


FOSSIL  MOLLUSKS  FROM  THE 

JOHN  DAY  BASIN  IN 

OREGON 

CONTAINED  IN   THE   CONDON   MUSEUM   OF   THE 
UNIVEESITY  OF  OEEGON 

BY 
G.  DALLAS  HANNA 


CONTENTS 

Introduction. 

Species  in  the  University  of  Oregon  Collection. 
Synopsis  of  John  Day  Land  and  Fresh-water  Mollusks. 
Explanation  of  plate. 

INTRODUCTION 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Dr.  Earl  L.  Packard,  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Geology,  University  of  Oregon,  I  have  had  an  opportunity 
to  study  the  collection  of  fossil  land  shells  in  that  institution  from 
the  John  Day  Basin,  eastern  Oregon.  It  was  assembled  by  Prof. 
Thomas  Condon,  the  discoverer  of  the  famous  deposits  of  mammal 
remains  in  Oregon.  Altogether  there  are  118  specimens  in  the  col- 
lection. Many  of  them  are  fragmentary  or  immature  and  cannot  be 
identified  with  certainty.  Eleven  species  are  represented,  two  of 
which  are  believed  to  be  new.  These  belong  to  genera  found  for  the 
first  time  in  the  Miocene  deposits  of  the  western  United  States  and 
one  of  them  was  not  previously  known  to  exist  in  North  America, 
either  Recent  or  fossil.  The  collection  also  includes  specimens  of 
species  which  were  previously  known  only  from  type  specimens. 
The  collection  is  therefore  one  of  the  most  important  which  has 
come  to  light  from  this  region. 

In  order  that  references  to  all  of  the  described  John  Day 
species  may  be  available  to  western  students  there  has  been  added 
to  the  account  of  this  collection  a  review  of  all  known  published 
records.  This  has  been  compiled  from  the  author's  card  index. 

[1] 


Fossil  Mollusks  From  the  John  Day  Basin  in  Oregon 

The  collecting  of  mollusks  in  the  region  has  apparently  been 
merely  an  incident  to  those  persons  in  search  of  mammal  remains 
and  as  a  consequence  definite  stratigraphical  data  have  not  been 
recorded.  This  is  unfortunate  because  it  makes  it  impossible  to 
assign  the  several  species  to  the  geologic  subdivisions  recognized  by 
the  vertebrate  paleontologists.  No  doubt  much  in  the  way  of 
correlating  this  deposit  with  those  elsewhere  can  be  accomplished 
when  the  region  shall  be  explored  with  mollusks  the  chief  objects  in 
mind. 

SPECIES  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  OREGON  COLLECTION 
Gastrodonta  imperforata  Hanna 

Plate  1,  figures  la  and  Ib 

One  of  the  four  specimens  of  this  species  in  the  collection  is 
almost  perfect  and  is  figured  in  two  views  because  of  its  super- 
iority to  the  type.  The  axis  is  completely  imperforate  and  there 
is  a  peculiar  twist  to  the  columellar  wall  which  recalls  Sagda  of 
the  West  Indies.  It  may  in  fact  prove  to  be  that  the  John  Day 
shells  belong  in  or  near  that  genus  but  the  evidence  is  not  con- 
sidered sufficient  to  warrant  such  disposition  at  present.  The 
shell  substance  of  G.  imperforata  is  exceedingly  thin  and  delicate 
and  the  growth  striae  are  uneven  and  rather  coarse.  No  trace 
of  spiral  striation  can  be  found. 

Epiphragmophora  antecedens  Stearns 

Two  imperfect  specimens  and  two  fragments  have  been  re- 
ferred to  this  species.  In  no  case  is  the  aperture  preserved  so 
the  identification  is  somewhat  doubtful. 

Epiphragmophora  dubiosa  Stearns 
Two  imperfect  specimens  are  in  the  collection. 

Epiphragmophora  marginicola  (Conrad) 

The  finding  of  a  specimen  of  this,  the  first  John  Day  shell 
to  be  described,  is  very  interesting.  Conrad's  type  was  a  young 
shell  as  shown  by  his  figure  and  his  description  was  so  meager 
that  identification  therefrom  seemed  hopeless.  He  says  "Depres- 

[2] 


Fossil  Mollusks  From  the  John  Day  Basin  in  Oregon  • 

sed;  spire  scarcely  raised  above  the  margin  of  the  last  volution; 
whorls  6,  convex-depressed;  shoulder  of  last  whorl  subangular; 
umbilicus  small;  aperture  obliquely  subquadrate.  Locality,  Bridge 
Creek,  Oregon."* 

The  University  of  Oregon  specimen  conforms  to  the  above 
description  almost  precisely  although  it  is  imperfect.  The  last 
whorl  at  least  is  missing  so  that  the  character  of  the  completed 
aperture  cannot  be  ascertained  and  it  is  believed  Conrad's  shell 
was  in  the  same  condition.  It  was  thought  possible  that  we  actually 
had  here  his  type,  so  great  is  the  resemblance,  and  this  may  in  fact 
be  the  case.  But  if  so  his  drawing  fails  to  show  the  remnants  of 
a  broken  whorl  about  the  margin.  The  shell  appears  to  belong 
to  the  Helicidae  and  it  is  believed  that  when  a  complete  specimen 
is  available  it  will  be  found  to  be  related  to  the  mormonum  group 
of  Epiphragmophora.  The  genus  Zonites  in  which  the  species  was 
originally  placed  is  not  now  recognized  as  having  existed  in  the 
United  States  and  the  shell  certainly  does  not  furnish  any  evi- 
dence to  show  that  it  belongs  to  that  family. 

Polygyra  dalli  (Stearns) 

By  far  the  greater  part  of  all  land  shells  thus  far  collected 
in  the  John  Day  region  belong  to  this  species.  The  University  of 
Oregon  Collection  contains  90  shells  which  have  been  referred  here ; 
among  them  are  many  which  are  well  preserved.  Many  others  are 
fragmentary  or  young  and  therefore  they  have  been  identified 
with  doubt. 

Polygyrella  polygyrella   (Bland  and  Cooper) 

This  species  lives  in  the  mountains  of  Idaho  at  the  present 
time  but  it  was  with  considerable  surprise  that  a  specimen  was 
found  in  the  Oregon  Miocene.  The  shell  is  not  perfect;  one  whorl 
at  least  has  been  broken  away  but  the  characters  of  Polygyrella  are 
well  exhibited.  It  seems  to  be  somewhat  larger  than  the  Recent 
P.  polygyrella  with  the  same  number  of  whorls  but  there  is  con- 
siderable variation  in  this  respect  in  Recent  shells.  Perhaps  when 
the  aperture  shall  have  been  found  intact  the  fossil  form  will  be 
found  to  be  distinct  but  without  this  portion  of  the  shell  it  is  best 
considered  to  be  the  same. 


"Conrad,  T.  A.,  Am.   Jour.   Conch.   Vol.   6,  315,   p.   13,   tig.  9.   1870-71 

[3] 


Fossil  Mollusks  From  the  John  Day  Basin  in  Oregon 

Ammonitella  lunata  (Conrad) 

Ten  more  or  less  imperfect  specimens  are  in  the  University 
of  Oregon  Collection. 

Pyramidula  mascallensis  Hanna 

Four  imperfect  specimens  are  in  the  collection.  They  exhibit 
the  very  flat  character  of  the  whorls  above  in  excellent  manner. 

Oreohelix  lecontei  Stearns 

One  specimen  with  four  and  a  half  whorls  intact  is  in  the  col- 
lection. At  least  one  complete  whorl  has  been  lost.  And  the  very 
thin  shell  substance  has  been  lost  on  all  but  the  first  three  whorls. 

Helicina  oregona  n.  sp. 

Plate  1,  figures  3a,  3&  and  3c 

Shell  consisting  of  a  little  over  six  whorls  with  the  sutures 
between  them  but  little  impressed.  Spire  elevated  and  sides  some- 
what convex.  Last  whorl  not  depressed  below  the  margin  of  the 
one  preceding.  Spire  covered  with  a  thin  layer  of  material  which 
is  uniformly  raised  into  ribs  and  of  which  there  are  nine  or  ten 
to  the  millimeter  on  the  last  whorl.  These  ribs  do  not  extend  to 
the  base  of  the  shell.  Aperture  oblique,  about  45  degrees  with 
the  axis.  Outer  lip  reflected  and  thickened  outside  with  callous 
material.  The  columella  makes  a  peculiar  twist  at  its  junction 
with  the  base  of  the  shell.  This  junction  is  slightly  below  the 
level  of  the  base  when  viewed  spire  down.  There  is  no  definite 
carina  at  the  margin  of  the  body  whorl. 

Measurements  of  type :  greatest  diameter  7.2  mm. ;  least  diame- 
ter, 6.0  mm. ;  altitude  parallel  to  axis  4.5  mm. 

Type  number  12,  University  of  Oregon  Collection  from  the 
John  Day  Oligocene  ( ? ) .  No  other  specimens. 

The  type  is  very  well  preserved  and  does  not  seem  to  be  closely 
related  to  any  other  known  Helicina.  The  presence  of  the  genus 
in  the  Oligocene  of  the  United  States  has  not  previously  been  known 
and  it  is  another  instance  of  tropical  forms  which  flourished  much 
north  of  their  present  range  at  that  time.  The  ribbed  surface  of 
the  shell  recalls  H.  rugosa  of  Jamaica  and  H.  rugulosa  of  the 
Society  Islands  but  it  is  not  in  reality  closely  related  to  either  of 

[4] 


Fossil  Mollusks  From  the  John  Day  Basin  in  Oregon 

these  forms.  Neither  does  it  resemble  except  in  gross  characters 
the  United  States  Recent  species  H.  occulta  and  H.  orbiculata,  and 
the  fossils  H.  ballista  and  H.  tampae  of  Florida.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  Tertiary  land  shells  thus  far  found,  ranking  with 
Ammonitella,  Boysia,  Protoboysia,  Helicostyla  and  Rhiostoma. 

Rhiostoma  americana  n.  sp. 

Plate  1,  figures  4a  and  4& 

Shell  composed  of  three  whorls,  the  last  increasing  in  size  very 
rapidly  and  projecting  free  of  the  spire.  Spire  elevated  conic 
with  the  whorls  angulated  acutely.  Sutures  deeply  impressed. 
A  revolving  lamella  on  the  palatal  wall  of  the  last  whorl  continu- 
ing and  increasing  in  size  to  the  aperture  where  it  probably  formed 
a  tooth.  The  columellar  wall  also  had  a  tooth.  The  junction  of 
the  columellar  and  basal  walls  acutely  angular  at  the  aperture. 
Umbilicus  apparently  widely  open. 

Measurements  of  type:  greatest  diameter,  8.50  mm.;  least  di- 
ameter, 5.0  mm.;  altitude  parallel  to  axis  7.0  mm.  (The  measure- 
ments of  a  complete  shell  would  somewhat  exceed  these.) 

Only  the  type  specimen  has  been  found.  It  is  from  the  John 
Day  Oligocene  ( ? )  and  is  deposited  in  the  University  of  Oregon. 
(Type  number  13).  Unfortunately  it  is  largely  a  cast  and  leaves 
much  to  be  learned  of  the  shell.  However  the  characters  are  so 
unique  that  no  hesitancy  is  felt  in  making  it  the  type  of  a  new 
species.  Its  resemblance  to  the  Siamese  Rhiostoma  Benson  is 
close  and  although  the  complete  shell  may  show  that  it  does  not 
belong  in  that  genus  it  seems  best  to  so  refer  it  now.  It  is  not 
related  to  Boysia  and  Protoboysia,  genera  with  Indian  affinities 
first  added  to  our  fauna  in  1914.* 

The  finding  of  this,  apparently  a  land  operculate  with  living 
Asiatic  relatives,  in  the  United  States  Oligocene  (?)  is  very  remark- 
able and  furnishes  a  basis  for  much  interesting  speculation.  The 
groups  of  mollusks  which  then  lived  here  are  no  less  strange  to 
the  conchologist  than  the  mammals  are  to  the  mammalogist. 


"Cockerell,   T.   D.    A.,    Land   Shells   from   the   Tertiary   of   Wyoming.     Bull.    33   Amer. 
Mus.    Nat.   Hist.   p.   323,   1914. 


[5] 


Fossil  Mollusks  From  the  John  Day  Basin  in  Oregon 

SYNOPSIS    OF    JOHN    DAY    LAND    AND    FRESH-WATER 
MOLLUSKS 

For  full  accounts  of  the  geological,  stratigraphical,  and  paleon- 
tologieal  features  of  the  region  see,  Merriam,  J.  C.,  A  Contribu- 
tion to  the  Geology  of  the  John  Day  Basin;  University  of  Cali- 
fornia Publications,  Bulletin  of  the  Department  of  Geology,  vol. 
2,  No.  9,  pp.  269-314,  April  1901.  Also,  same  author,  and  same 
series  of  publications,  vol.  5,  No.  1,  pp.  1-64,  December,  1906. 
Also  Merriam  and  Sinclair,  Tertiary  Faunas  of  the  John  Day 
Region ;  same  series,  vol.  5,  No.  11,  pp.  171-205,  October  1907.  The 
latter  has  a  fairly  complete  bibliography. 

Ammonitella  lunata   (Conrad) 

Planorbis  (Spirorbis?)  lunatus.  Conrad,  Am.  Jour.  Conch.  Vol.  6, 
p.  315,  pi.  13,  fig.  8,  1870-71.  (Condon  Collection.  Bridge  Creek, 
Oregon). — White,  3rd.  Ann.  Eep.  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.  p.  448,  pi.  32,  figs. 
24-25,  1880-81.  Hannibal,  Proc.  Mai.  Soc.  London,  Vol.  10,  p.  159, 
1912.  (The  species  here  is  rightly  ascribed  to  Ammonitella  and  con- 
sidered distinct  from  A.  yatesi  Cooper,  a  Eecent  species.  Stearns  name 
was  made  synonomous.  The  species  is  stated  to  be  from  "Oligocene, 
John  Day  series,  Oregon.") 

Gonostoma  yatesi  (Cooper)  Stearns,  (in  White).  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv. 
Bull.  18,  p.  16,  pi.  3,  figs.  8-12,  1885.  Cope  and  Condon  collections. 

Ammonitella  yatesi  praecursor  Stearns.  Proc.  Wash.  Acad.  Sci. 
Vol.  2,  p.  656,  pi.  35,  figs.  8.12,  1900.  (Same  figures  reproduced  as 
in  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.,  Bull.  18,  cited  above.) — Stearns,  Science 
n.  s.  Vol.  15,  p.  153,  1902.  (Mentioned  as  in  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia Collection.)— Stearns,  Univ.  of  Calif.  Publ.  Geol.  Vol.  5,  No.  3, 
p.  67,  1906.  (Mentioned). 

Ammonitella  lunata  (Conrad)  Hanna,  Kans.  Univ.  Sci.  Bull.,  Vol. 
13,  p....  (In  the  University  of  Kansas  Collection).  Mentioned  herein 
as  being  in  the  University  of  Oregon  Collection. 

Epiphragmophora  antecedens  Stearns. 

Helix  (Aglaia)  fidelis  Gray.  Stearns,  (in  White)  U.  S.  Geol. 
Surv.  Bull.  18,  p.  14,  pi.  3,  figs.  1-3,  1885. 

Epiphragmophora  fidelis  antecedens  Stearns.  Proe.  Wash.  Acad. 
Sci.  Vol.  2,  p.  653,  pi.  35,  figs.  1-3,  1900.  (Same  figures  reproduced 
as  in  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.  Bull.  18,  cited  above.) — Stearns,  Science,  n.  s. 
Vol.  15,  p.  153,  '1902.  (Mentioned  as  in  the  University  of  California 
Collection.)— Stearns,  Univ.  of  Calif.  Publ.  Geol.  Vol.  5,  p.  67,  1906. 
(Mentioned.) 

[6] 


Fossil  Mollusks  From  the  John  Day  Basin  in  Oregon 


Epiphragmophora  antecedens  Stearns.  Hanna,  op.  cit.  (Mentioned 
as  in  the  collection  of  the  University  of  Kansas.) — Mentioned  herein 
as  being  in  the  University  of  Oregon  collection. 

Epiphragmopkore  dubiosa  Stearns.  Science,  n.  s.  Vol.  15,  p.  153,  1902. 
(Original  description.)  (In  the  University  of  California  Collection.) 
Stearns,  Univ.  of  Calif.  Publ.  Geol.  Vol.  5,  p.  69,  figs.  3-4,  1906. 
(Original  description  repeated  and  figures  provided.) — Hanna.  op.  cit. 
(Mentioned  as  being  in  the  University  of  Kansas  Collection.) — Men- 
tioned herein  as  being  in  the  University  of  Oregon  Collection. 

Epiphragmophora  marginicola    (Conrad). 

Helix  (Zonites)  marginicola  Conrad  Am.  Jour.  Conch,  Vol.  4,  p. 
315,  pi.  13,  fig.  9,  1870-71.  (Bridge  Creek,  Oregon,  Condon  Collection. 
White,  3rd  Ann.  Rep.  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.  p.  453,  pi.  32,  fig.  34,  1880-81. 

Epiphragmophora  marginicola  Conrad.  Mentioned  herein  as  being 
in  the  University  of  Oregon  Collection. 

Gastrodonta  imperforata  Hanna,  op.  cit. 

(Original   description.) — Mentioned   herein  as   being   in   the   University 
of  Oregon  Collection. 

Helicina  oregona   n.   sp.     Described  herein. 
Lymnaea  stearnsi   Hannibal. 

Limnaea  maxima  Stearns,  Science,  n.  s.  Vol.  15,  p.  154,  1902. 
Stearns,  Univ.  of  Calif.  Publ.  Geol.  Vol.  5,  p.  70,  fig.  1,  1906. 

Lymnaea  stearnsi  Hannibal.  In  Baker,  Lymnaeidae  of  N.  and 
Mid.  America,  p.  102,  pi.  17,  fig.  11,  1911.  (New  name  for  L.  maxima 
Stearns,  a  name  used  in  varietal  sense  by  Collin,  Ann.  Soc.  Mai.  Belg. 
7,  p.  94,  1872.)— Hannibal,  Proc.  Mai.  Soc.  Lon.  10,  p.  143,  1912. 
(Mascall  Miocene). 

Oreohelix  lecontei  Stearns.  Science,  n.  s.  Vol.  15,  p.  154,  1902.  Stearns, 
Univ.  of  Calif.  Publ.  Geol.  Vol.  5,  p.  68,  fig.  2,  1906.  Mentioned 
herein  as  being  in  the  University  of  Oregon  Collection. 

Polygyra  dalli  (Stearns.) 

Helix  (Monodon)  dalli,  Stearns,  (in  White)  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.  Bull. 
18,  p.  14,  pi.  3,  figs.  4-6,  1885.  (In  a  later  publication  Stearns  says 
the  word  Monodon  was  an  error  for  Mesodon.) 

Polygyra  dalli  Stearns,  Proc.  Wash.  Acad.  Sci.  Vol.  2,  pi.  35,  figs. 
4-6,  1900.  (Same  figures  reproduced  as  in  White,  cited  above. 
Stearns,  Science,  n.  s.  Vol.  15,  p.  153,  1902.  Mentioned  as  being 
in  the  University  of  California  Collection.)  Stearns,  Univ.  of  Calif. 
Publ.  Geol.  Vol.  5,  No.  3,  p.  67,  1906.  Hanna,  op.  cit.  (Mentioned 
as  being  in  the  University  of  Kansas  Collection.)  Mentioned  herein 
as  being  in  the  University  of  Oregon  Collection. 

[7] 


Fossil  Mollusks  From  the  John  Day  Basin  in  Oregon 

Polygyra  expanse,  Hanna.     Op.  cit. 
Polygyra  martini  Hanna.    Op.  cit. 

Polygyrella  polygyrella   (Bland  and  Cooper.)      Mentioned  herein  as  being  in 
the  University  of  Oregon  Collection. 

Pyramidula  mascallensis  Hanna.     Op.  cit.     Mentioned  herein  as  being  in  the 
University   of   Oregon   Collection. 

Pyramidula  simillima  Stearns. 

Helix  (Patula)  perspectiva  Say.  Stearns,  (in  White.)  U.  S.  Geol. 
Surv.  Bull.  18,  p.  14,  pi.  Ill,  fig.  7,  1885. 

Pyramidula  perspectiva  simillima  Stearns,  Proc.  Wash.  Aead.  Sci. 
Vol.  2,  p.  657,  pi.  35,  fig.  7,  1900.  (Figure  reproduced  from  U.  S. 
Geol.  Surv.  Bull.  18  cited  above.  No  description  added.)  Stearns, 
Science,  n.  s.  Vol.  15,  p.  153,  1902.  (No  description.)  Stearns. 
Univ.  of  Calif.  Publ.  Geol.  Vol.  5,  p.  67,  1906.  (This  is  a  nude  name 
and  cannot  hold  in  nomenclature.) 

Ehiostoma  americana  n.  sp.     Described  herein. 

Unio  condoni  White,  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.  Bull.  18,  p.  13,  pi.  2,  figs.  1-3,  1885. 
Migranaja  condoni    (White.)    Hannibal,   Proc.   Mai.   Soc.   Lon.   Vol. 
10,  p.  124  and  197,  1912. 

Transmitted  May  27,  1920. 
Issued  August  26,  1920. 


EXPLANATION  OF  PLATE  I 

Figures  la,  and  1&.     Gastrodonta  imperforata  Hanna.     Enlarged  approx- 
imately 1%  times. 

Figures  3o,  3&,  and  3c.     Helicina  oregona,  n.  sp.     All  enlarged  approxi- 
mately six  times. 

Figures  4a,  and  4b.     Khoistoma  americana,  n.  sp.     Both  enlarged  approxi- 
mately six  times. 


[8] 


PLATE     I. 


DATE  DUE 


A     000  826  489     7 


